The Need Is Real: Data

Organ transplantation has become an accepted medical treatment for end-stage organ failure. But only you can help make it happen. Here are some important facts about donation:

During your visit to organdonor.gov someone may have been added to the waiting list. It happens every 10 minutes.

Each day, an average of 79 people receive organ transplants. However, an average of 21 people die each day waiting for transplants that can't take place because of the shortage of donated organs.

People of every age give and receive organ donations. In 2013, 28,954 people received organ transplants. Below is the number of recipients by age group followed by the number who received organs from deceased and living donors:

1 Year Old: 260 (241 deceased, 19 living donors)

1 - 5 Years: 545 (437 deceased, 108 living donors)

6 - 10 Years: 294 (230 deceased, 64 living donors)

11 - 17 Years: 719 (589 deceased, 130 living donors)

18 - 34 Years: 3,081 (1,983 deceased, 1,098 living donors)

35 - 49 Years: 6,310 (4,699 deceased, 1.611 living donors)

50 - 64 Years: 12,674 (10,516 deceased, 2,158 living donors)

65+ Years: 5,071 (4,272 deceased, 799 living donors)

As of December 4, 2012, the percentage of recipients who were still living 5-years after their transplant is noted below for kidney, heart, liver, and lung. For more information, click here.

Kidney (deceased donor): 83.4%

Kidney (living donor): 92%

Heart: 76.8%

Liver (deceased donor): 74.3%

Liver (living donor): 81.3%

Lung: 55.2%

In 2013, 61% of living donors were women and 39% were men. The statistic is nearly reversed for deceased donation: 41% were women and 59% were men.

In 2013, 57% of all deceased donors were Caucasian, 22% were African American, 15% Hispanic/Latino and 6% Asian, and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander.

As of January 2015, the national waiting list was 42% Caucasian, 30% African American, 19% Hispanic/Latino, and 8.6% Asian, and Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander.

In 2010, (the most recent data) there were almost 2.5 million deaths in the U.S. Imagine if every one of those persons had donated.

Currently, more than 120 million people in the U.S. are signed up to be a donor—sign up and join them.

More About Statistics

Statistics can sometimes be overwhelming and difficult to understand. One thing to remember is that every number in the statistic you view is a person—a person who either needs your help and is waiting for a lifesaving transplant or a person who has left a lasting legacy through organ and tissue donation.

Either way, each number represents a life, a mom, a dad, a brother, a sister or a child—someone who is important to someone else, maybe even you.

Statistics change. Some change day to day and some can even change minute to minute. So you may see different numbers each time you return to organdonor.gov or some of the other sites linked from here. You may ask why this happens. There are several reasons:

One of the most confusing statistics is the number of persons waiting for a transplant. Patients are allowed to register at multiple transplant centers, so you may see a higher number if you count "registrations" rather than "candidates."

Additionally, one of the great things that may happen is that donations and transplantations may be taking place at any time, so while the waiting list might continue to grow the number of donors may also rise.

The reality is that the number of candidates waiting continues to dwarf the number of donor organs available, and only you can change this—by registering as an organ, eye, and tissue donor and encouraging others to do so as well.